The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-11-14

ferring 10 Mr.. jain I. Wsterhouse)
What share of the honor belongs to
that other armed body of men called
the Reform Lacquer"
Although the League was ready
and willing, and in fact did do,
quite as much towards accomplish
ing the great reform as the Homo
lulu Rifles, yet their services are
considered as naught, and are rare
TX ever spoken OF as one of the fac
tors in the contamination Of the re-
form movement. Is it because
they were not uniformed and played
soldier for months previous to the
agitation of the movement? The
minute men at Lexington were not
uniformed. More than a third Of
Washington's army at Valley-forge
were not uniformed. Numberless
soldiers of the Confederate army
we're in the same fix. But when
there was fighting to be done, every
man was there as sturdy as an oak
to bear his individual share of the
burden.
Another truth that was recorded
in that article which Convert does
not gainsay, (although he uses very
strong language when expressing
his disapproval of some of the asser-
tions) is, that there Is no law that
can compel ihe Honolulu Rifles to
do active military duty. They may
or may not obey summons to turn
out for duty, and no punishment ex-
cept that previously stated, can he
inflicted for noncompliance with
such an order. All this is different
with militia under the surveillance
of the Government. They are men
enlisted for actual and active SER
vice, and can as rule he relied
upon for active duty, knowing that
severe punishment awaits them
for any derilection.
1t was also asserted and "Con-
vert" does not contradict it, that
the cost of keeping up such an or
ganiZation is not ut all commensu-
rate with the benefit the country
derives from IT,. | admit that Soon
vert" is right, when he says that the
Honolulu Rifles performed valuable
services during the late revolution,
but what has that service cost the
country According to the Minis
ter Of Finances report 81, 29I.25
has been expended, and there are
outstanding liabilities to the amount
of 50 1868 (for which the Govern
ment is responsibility making total
of Sl3, 781.01. This amount applied
to the purposes as proposed in Mr..
Cecil Browns bill would give the
country a much more reliable SER
vice, than that offered by the Homo
lulu Rifles, because it would lie
compulsory. and no excuses would
be admissible for the non-perfor-
nance of military duty except those
set forth in the bill.
Converts" indulgence in per-
sonalities and slang, does not
strengthen his arguments with the
more conservative element that help
to make up the population of this
country, and his reference 10 the
militia of America as being a paid
soldiery is incorrect, except when
called into active service. Then
they are paid the same as soldier of
a relative rank in the regular army.
When not in active service they
draw no pay. When the war of the
rebellion in America broke out, the
"Citizen soldiers" as they were
CONTEMPORARY called by the regu-
lar army,-men taken from every
walk of life, of all ages from Ia to
60 ars,-did as good as if not
better service than men who had
been trained in the rsgular army for
years in the art of warfare, and it is
only reasonable to infer, that the
same element in this country, would
make as good soldiers as they. With
this element to recruit from and
with such law as Mr.. Cecil Browns
bill contemplates, the country can
safely dispense with such costly
establishment as the Honolulu Rifles
have proven to be, and it will also
do away with an organization that
"Convert" says "never has been,
nor never will he political ma
chine" and in the same breath,
fearing that he has stultilied himself
by making such an assertion, says,
"unless another occasion arises
when we are wanted, to help such
person as you and yours to get into
power"
This explanation of the political
status of the Honolulu Rifles from
one of its members, is conclusive
proof that "Observer was wrong In
referring to them as a political ma
chine now, and it is also conclusive
proof that they are ready, when the
occasion offers to become so. In
the mean time they are watching de-
velopments in the political kaleide-
oscope and perhaps waiting for such
an occasion to offer.
AN OBSERVER AND Lacquer.